Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear in the most unexpected places, especially when pop-ups suggest downloading a game or installing an app while using the interface or immediately after unlocking the screen, which is not just visual noise, but a system feature of the MIUI and HyperOS shells aimed at monetizing budget devices.
Fortunately, there are several effective ways to get rid of this digital garbage, either completely or partially. Turning off ads requires a series of sequential actions in the system settings, which we will discuss in detail in this article, you can return a clean interface and improve the performance of your gadget by prohibiting the background loading of advertising modules.
It is important to understand that some methods are more radical than others and may require careful adjustment. We will discuss both the standard system tools and more advanced options, including the change of the system. DNS-Complete shutdown of the system advertising service MSA This is a key step to cleaning the device from most pop-up windows.
Disabling the MSA system advertising service
The main source of intrusive offers in the system is a process called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for collecting data about your preferences and displaying relevant advertising in system applications and on the desktop, without deactivating it, combating banners will be ineffective.
To stop this service, you need to find it in the list of all installed applications. Note that the system can resist shutdown, so you will need to perform the action several times. Go to the Settings menu, select the Application item, then All Apps. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Show System.
Find an app called msa (MIUI System Ads) on the list, press it and turn the AutoStart switch off. Then press the Turn off button. You'll see a 10 second countdown timer, then you'll press OK. If the button turns grey and doesn't press, try again, and not everyone will do it the first time.
⚠️ Attention: If after the shutdown MSA If you notice widgets or design themes that are not working properly, try resetting themes to standard ones. In rare cases, system components may conflict with customization of the interface.
In parallel with the MSA, it is recommended to disable the MIUI Daemon service, which also collects statistics on the use of the device for advertising purposes, it is on the same list of system applications, disabling these two components significantly reduces the number of background processes, which has a positive effect on battery autonomy.
Set up personalized advertising in your Mi Account
Another source of targeted offers is your Mi Account, which analyzes your actions to pick up ads that are more likely to interest you, and disabling this feature will not remove ads completely, but will make them less personalized and intrusive.
To change your privacy settings, go to Settings and select Passwords and Security. Next, find the Privacy section and scroll down to Advertising Services.
Also on the menu, you should pay attention to the recommendation item, which is often responsible for the appearance of news feeds or game suggestions in application folders and on the lock screen, and disabling these options makes the interface more sterile and predictable.
- 🛑 Turn off personalization of ads in privacy settings.
- 🛑 Disable Advertising ID for all applications.
- 🛑 Check the recommendations settings in system applications.
After making changes, the system may require confirmation of actions through a screen unlock password or fingerprint. This is a standard HyperOS security measure to prevent important parameters from accidentally changing. Make sure that all switches in the ad services section are gray.
Blocking Advertising Through DNS
One of the most effective and elegant solutions is the use of private DNS-This method allows you to block advertising requests at the entire device level without requiring the installation of third-party applications or obtaining root rights.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS (or Private DNS). The default mode is Auto. You need to select the DNS Host Name (or Manual) option and enter the address of the dedicated server.
dns.adguard.comAfter you enter the address, save the settings. DNS-Requests leading to known ad servers will be blocked, removing banners not only in the system, but also in many free applications and browsers.
☑️ Checking the settings DNS
It's worth noting that using a third-party DNS can cause some local services or corporate networks to fail if you're in the office. On your home Wi-Fi and mobile Internet, there are usually no problems. If the Internet is gone completely, just return the setting to Auto or Unplug.
Disabling recommendations in system applications
Ad modules are built deep into Xiaomi’s standard utilities like Explorer, Cleanup, Music and Themes. Each of these apps has its own settings that need to be turned off separately. Ignoring this step will leave annoyance sources in specific menus.
Start with the Security (or Cleanup) app, open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and find Receive recommendations. Put the switch inactive, and that will remove banner ads from the main antivirus and accelerator window.
Then go to the Topics app. Click on the profile icon, then Settings. You need to find and disable the option to Show Ads or Personal Recommendations. You should do the same thing in the Music and Video app if you use them.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Settings (cogs) | Receive recommendations |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Showing ads |
| Conductor | Settings → About the annex | Receive recommendations |
| Downloads. | Three points → Settings | Showing Recommended Content |
Don’t forget to check the Downloads app. Often, that’s where the promotional offers accumulate after you install files from the Internet, and there’s also a section in the app’s settings that displays the recommended content that you need to deactivate.
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After disabling ads in apps, it is recommended to clear their cache through the Memory menu to remove already downloaded banner ads.
Removing advertising widgets from the desktop
Often users accidentally add widgets to the desktop that broadcast news feeds and advertisements. In the shells of MIUI and HyperOS, Mi Video widgets or news aggregators that take up space and consume traffic are popular.
To remove this item, find it on your desktop. Hold your finger on the widget for one second until the action menu appears. Select the Remove option. This action will not remove the app itself, but remove the display block from your screen.
Also worth checking is the settings of the home screen: Click on the empty space on the desktop or pinch with two fingers to go into edit mode. Click on the gear settings. Here you can turn off the feature of the Widget Ribbon (left of the first screen), which is often filled with advertising cards and news.
- 🗑️ Remove unused widgets from the desktop.
- 🗑️ Turn off the news feed to the left of the main screen.
- 🗑️ Replace standard widgets with third-party counterparts without advertising.
If you like weather or watch widgets, try finding alternatives to them in the GetApps store or Google Play. Third-party developers often offer cleaner and more functional solutions that aren't overwhelmed by information noise.
Resetting the advertising ID and data cleanup
Even after all the settings, the device may still have cached data in its memory, which continues to provoke the display of old ads. To consolidate the result, it is recommended to reset the advertising ID and clean the system services data.
Go back to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. At the bottom of the screen, find the Reset Ad ID button. Click on it and confirm the action. This will assign your device a new ID, breaking the link to the accumulated advertising profile.
⚠️ Note: Resetting your advertising ID does not delete your personal photos or contacts, but is a technical procedure that only affects marketing data stored in the system.
Additionally, you can clear the MIUI Daemon app data (unless you’ve disabled it before, but only limited it). Go to the Apps → All Apps → Find MIUI Daemon → Memory → Clear. This is guaranteed to delete the temporary files associated with analytics.